A conventional printer such as a dot matrix impact printer, a dot matrix thermal printer, a daisy printer or the like is typically provided with an arrangement for feeding printing paper. The printing may be either cut sheet paper or continuous paper depending on the particular application of the printer, and the paper feeding means must be arranged accordingly. Cut sheet paper is typically frictionally fed through a nip between a platen and a roller while continuous paper is typically fed by a tractor feeder.
If the two kinds of printing paper are to be used on a same printer, it has been necessary to replace the paper feeder. For instance, when continuous printing paper is to be used, then the tractor feeder must be removed to make room for a paper guide member such as a paper tray. Conversely, when cut sheet printing paper is to be used, then the tractor feeder must be installed while the paper guide member must be removed. In particular because a tractor feeder is a complicated device and some care is necessary for installing it, it has been felt as extremely cumbersome and disrupting that the paper feeder must be replaced every time the printing paper is changed from one form to another.